KPS Gill back on field after break

He may be down but never out. KPS Gill, president of the erstwhile Indian Hockey Federation, held the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the suspended body on Sunday and claimed it remained the legitimate association to run the sport in the country.

The IHF was suspended in May 2008 by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and an ad-hoc committee put in charge to administer the sport till an elected body was in place. However, Gill insisted that the IHF remained in charge of the sport. “Since the government does not recognise Hockey India, IHF is the official body to run the sport in the country,” Gill said after the meeting adding that the sport has taken a backseat under HI. “In March, the government said in court they have not de-recognised IHF and in April they changed their stance and said they have de-recognised IHF because IOA has derecognised IHF. In such circumstances the government’s role raises suspicion. The way IOA suspended IHF was illegal,” Gill said.

The entire controversy around running of Indian hockey has become a complex affair with the matter still in court. The last elections to IHF were held in 2006, the results of which were kept secret till a court order late in 2008, after the association was suspended.

The results were announced finally to be in Gill’s favour, which made him president till 2010. It is these results, coupled with a case challenging the suspension in court, which Gill claims gives him and the IHF legitimacy. Add to it the latest government affidavit in response to a PIL make matters worse.

Meanwhile, Hockey India came into existence and was granted recognition by the IOA, the international hockey federation and the sports ministry in 2009. The recognition was necessary to ensure India’s participation in any international event and to claim government grants for tours and training.

Interestingly, despite all his opposition, Gill had accepted and joined HI late last year and is even a voting member of the electorate, representing Hockey Delhi. In other words, Gill remains the president of a suspended body he claims is legitimate, while being a member of the association which replaced it. Sunday’s meeting was attended by, among others, Mumbai Hockey Association’s Joaquim Carvalho and K Jothikumaran from the Tamil Nadu Hockey Association and RK Shetty from Karnataka, with Gill claiming support from 17 units and letters of support from 11 others.

National championships in July?

Revealing the agenda for the meeting, Gill said the IHF will hold national championships in Delhi in June-July with two teams qualifying from each zone. The final will be held in the Capital. He also alleged financial irregularities in the organisation of the World Cup. “We have asked for details by RTI. I have grave doubts if these details will ever be provided,” Gill said.